Learning more about leaky intestines

I have spent the last few weeks getting adjusted to my new job in Chicago, not only filling out paperwork but also figuring out what kind of research I’ll be doing for the next few years. It’s fun to start over with a new project; however, the difficult part about science is that you have to think of a question that no one knows the answer to and then try to find a way to answer it yourself.

The new laboratory I am working in focuses on intestinal barrier function, or how well your intestine seals itself off from everything going through your digestive tract. Between all of the cells lining your small intestine or colon there are tiny gates, or junctions, that keep water in your body and bacteria out. When there are small leaks in the barrier or changes in how permeable the barrier is, more water can escape leading to diarrhea. When there are big breaks in the barrier (ulcers), bacteria can sneak in between your cells and cause infection and/or inflammation. While it’s not surprising that those with IBD have decreased intestinal barrier function, first-degree relatives of IBD patients also have a small, but measurable change in the permeability of their intestines. This change is not enough for there to be inflammation or disease, but instead suggests that changes in barrier function may be an important component in developing IBD.

I have decided to try to figure out if immune cells are part of this protective barrier. Most of the time, immune cells hang out inside the wall like security guards, just in case any bacteria try to get through the junctions between cells. My new project is going to be to determine if immune cells can actively become part of the wall to protect against damage or infection, instead of waiting to clean up the damage if the barrier breaks. If the immune cells do integrate into the barrier, it would improve our understanding of how the intestine protects itself from attack and inhibits inflammation during disease.

Hopefully, in a few years I’ll be able to tell you if I was right or not, but until then back to work!